Judges 18 17

Judges 18:17 kjv

And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.

Judges 18:17 nkjv

Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Entering there, they took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image. The priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed with weapons of war.

Judges 18:17 niv

The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate.

Judges 18:17 esv

And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war.

Judges 18:17 nlt

the five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. Meanwhile, the priest was standing at the gate with the 600 armed warriors.

Judges 18 verses

Judges 18 17 Meaning

Judges 18:17 describes the culmination of the Danite spies' mission. After surveying the potential new territory, the five men enter Micah's household sanctuary in Laish (later Dan) and forcibly seize its idolatrous artifacts: the graven image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the molten image. Meanwhile, the Levite priest hired by Micah remains outside at the gate with the 600 armed Danite soldiers, awaiting the completion of this sacrilegious theft, signifying the Danites' violent seizure of both land and religion.

Judges 18 17 Context

This verse is situated within the "appendices" of the Book of Judges (chapters 17-21), which illustrate the depth of Israel's spiritual and moral decay during the period of the judges. Judges 18 specifically details the migration of the tribe of Dan. Prior to this, chapter 17 introduces Micah, an Ephraimite who constructs a private shrine with an ephod, teraphim, a graven image, and a molten image using silver stolen from his mother and subsequently consecrated back to him. He then hires a Levite to serve as his priest, believing this will secure him blessing from God, thereby syncretistically mixing elements of Yahwism with illicit idol worship. The five Danite spies, sent ahead by their tribe to find a new land, stumble upon Micah's sanctuary and, recognizing the utility of a "priest" and "images," persuade their larger military force to seize these religious artifacts and compel the Levite priest to serve their tribe instead. This chapter highlights the rampant idolatry, self-made religion, and tribal lawlessness prevalent when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 17:6; 21:25).

Judges 18 17 Word analysis

• And the five men that went to spy out the land:
  • "spy out" (Heb. לְתּוּר - l'tur): This verb suggests exploring or surveying with intent, often seen in the context of preparing for military action or settlement, as famously in Num 13 (the twelve spies of Canaan). Here, it applies to the land but is distorted as they also "spy out" the cult objects, assessing their religious utility for their self-serving purposes.
• were gone up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image:
  • "took": Implies a forcible taking, an act of theft and appropriation, highlighting the lawless nature of their mission.
  • "graven image" (Heb. פֶּסֶל - pesel): A carved idol, typically of wood or stone, often overlaid with metal. This directly violates the first and second commandments against idolatry (Exod 20:4). Its inclusion highlights a complete rejection of pure Yahwism.
  • "ephod" (Heb. אֵפוֹד - ephod): While a legitimate priestly garment for the high priest (Exod 28), in contexts like this and Jdg 8:27 (Gideon's ephod), it refers to an object used for illicit divination or cultic purposes, likely an idol itself or a container for sacred lots that derived from the original ephod's purpose, but without God's authorization.
  • "teraphim" (Heb. תְּרָפִים - teraphim): Household gods, idols often associated with divination, familial blessings, or securing property rights, as seen in Rachel stealing Laban's teraphim (Gen 31). Their presence points to a pervasive blend of Israelite life with pagan superstitious practices, forbidden by divine law (Lev 19:31; 1 Sam 15:23). They could range in size from small figurines to human-sized effigies.
  • "molten image" (Heb. מַסֵּכָה - massekah): An idol cast from metal, specifically mentioned alongside the graven image in Exod 34:17 as something explicitly forbidden by God. Its inclusion completes the inventory of forbidden, self-made cultic objects.
  • words-group: "graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image": This specific list represents a comprehensive collection of objects associated with forbidden Canaanite and syncretistic worship practices. The fact that all these items are present together in Micah's shrine signifies a fully-fledged private cult that stands in stark opposition to Yahweh's covenant commands for pure, monotheistic worship without images or unauthorized divinatory tools. The ease with which these 'gods' are stolen highlights their inherent powerlessness.
• and the priest stood in the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.
  • "the priest": Refers to the Levite hired by Micah. His position "in the entrance of the gate" indicates his passive role and impotence in preventing the theft. He is an observer, not a protector, reflecting the spiritual emptiness of the unauthorized priesthood he represents.
  • "stood in the entrance of the gate": A liminal space. The priest, supposedly a man of spiritual authority, is positioned passively at the edge, a witness to sacrilege rather than a defender of any truth, showcasing the complete inversion of proper religious authority.
  • "six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war": The Hebrew (חֲגוּרִים - chagurim) implies "girt" or "equipped" for war, emphasizing their readiness for violence. This substantial armed force provides the raw power behind the Danites' entire enterprise – conquest of land, seizure of cult, and imposition of will – rather than divine leading. It illustrates might making 'right' in an era of lawlessness.

Judges 18 17 Bonus section

This verse, along with Judges 17 and 18, is often analyzed as a cautionary tale illustrating several key failures within early Israel: the failure of the Levites to uphold pure worship (a Levite hires himself out to serve an idolater); the failure of individuals (Micah creating his own corrupt shrine); and the failure of a tribe (Dan using military might to steal and corrupt a spiritual system for pragmatic ends, ultimately establishing an idolatrous cult center in their new territory that persisted for generations). The transferability of these "gods" and the priest (from Micah's personal sanctuary to the tribe of Dan) further mocks the idea that such idols have any inherent power or loyalty. They are merely commodities to be taken and used, serving the pragmatic purposes of unfaithful men.

Judges 18 17 Commentary

Judges 18:17 encapsulates the profound spiritual and moral decline of Israel during the period when "there was no king in Israel." It details a blatant act of theft of religious artifacts, sanctioned by a military force, all performed by an Israelite tribe. The nature of the objects stolen—a graven image, ephod, teraphim, and a molten image—reveals a syncretistic faith deeply entangled with forbidden pagan practices, a clear transgression of the Mosaic covenant's command against idolatry and divination. The priest's helpless stance underscores the futility of a man-made religious system in the face of brute force. This verse powerfully illustrates the emptiness of idolatry—false gods that cannot even protect themselves from being stolen—and the chilling extent to which God's people had deviated from His laws, allowing self-interest and lawlessness to define their actions, ultimately bringing about chaos and judgment.